Subhasish Bhattacharya (4th from left) after his release from Chandipur police custody
Bhattacharya was released on a personal recognisance (PR) bond from Chandipur police station at 3 am on Saturday While Pradhan was arrested in connection with cases dating back to 2007. EC’s general observer for Nandigram bypoll, Santosh Das, said he was not aware of the reported incident.
Election Commission said no specific complaint had been lodged regarding the incident. “The police pressured him to withdraw and even tried to bribe him but he refused to yield,” he said. “I have not received any official complaint from any political party on this matter,” Das said.
By then, party workers and senior netas had reached Chandipur police station. The police made me sign a personal bond and let me go. Mamata Trinamool also joined the attack. “Where is Nandigram candidate Milan Pradhan after being picked up from a hotel? When MCC (Model Code of Conduct) is in effect, the police administration is under the direct superintendence and control of EC. What kind of Gestapo land is this? MP Mahua Moitra posted on X.
Nandigram/Kolkata: West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Subhasish Bhattacharya, who was picked up by East Midnapore police along with Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan on Friday afternoon, alleged on Saturday that they were taken to a resort in Mandarmani blindfolded, where police pressured them to withdraw Pradhan’s nomination. AICC Bengal in-charge Prakash Joshi claimed that Pradhan was tortured on Friday night.